Talking mechanism for dolls, manikins, and ventriloquist dummies



June 28, 1960 COULTER 2,942,380

TALKING MECHANISM FOR DOLLS, MANIKINS AND VENTRILOQUIST DUMMIES Filed May 23, 1958 I INVENTOR AL L AN COULTER ATTORNEY ni sid Sir w s he TALKING MECHANISM FOR DOLLS, MANIKINS,

AND VENTRILOQUIST DUMMIES The present invention relates generally to dolls, manikins and ventriloquist dummies and the like, and it has particular relation to improvements in such figures whereby the average person can manipulate them in the same deceptive manner as a professional ventriloquist and make them talk.

Heretofore, such figures have been provided with suitable mechanism for moving the heads, lips and arms thereof, but, for talking, reliance has always been placed on the ability of someone, like a professional ventriloquist, who is capable of speaking in such a manner the voice appears to come from the figure and not the speakers own lips. V 7

With the present invention there has been provided a simple, efficient and inexpensive means whereby such figures can be provided with a voice by anyone not having the gift of ventriloquism.

An object of the present invention is to provide a figure, such as a doll, manikin or dummy, with a simple, efficient and inexpensive mechanism formaking it talk.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a durable arrangement of parts whereby a figure such as described can be made to talk by its manipulator without the benefit of ventriloquism.

Another object of. the ;invention isthe provision of a self-contained unit having its own power for'operating a loud speaker, in conjunction with an amplifier and microphone, whereby no unnecessary and unsightly wires ere required to be connected to an electric source of sup- Other and further objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of its construction, which result in simplicity, economy and efficiency, and which will be apparent from the following description, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals indicate like parts,

in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a ventriloquists dummy'em-bodying the principles of the invention,

wherein parts have been broken away to illustrate more clearly the several features thereof; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the mechanism embodied in the figure shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a conventional ventriloquists dummy 10 errrbody- I ing the principles of the invention. The various manipulating wires for moving the lips of the mouth 11 and hands and arms 12 of the figure10 are not shown since they form no part of the invention. 7

The figure 10 has an opening in its back 13, leading to the hollow interior in its body portion 14. It is also provided with a hollow head 16, which is mounted fixedly to the top of a pole 17, having its lower end mounted rotatably in the figure 10 in any suitable manner. This construction makes the head 16 rotatable with respect of the body 14 of the figure10. The pole 17 is so positioned that it may readily be grasped in the 2,942,380 Paten ted June as, 1969 hand of a manipulator for holding the figure 10 in an upright position and for turning the same to cause the head 16 to rotate or pivot with respect of the body 14.

There is mounted in the hollow interior of the body portion 14a suitable and conventional box, which is shown diagrammatically at 21. The box 21 contains an amplifier of a conventional construction and batteries for supplying electrical energy to a conventional larynx type microphone 22 and a conventional loud speaker 23, and it is provided with a conventional push-button microrespect of-the body 14 of the figure 10. The pole 17 electric switch 24, which is conveniently located with respect of the pole 17, whereby it may be pushed into and held in its on position by a finger of the hand holding said pole 17.

The microphone 22 shown in the drawings is of a conventional throat type construction, having an arcuate collar or neck band 26 made of any suitable material having spring-urging tendencies when moved from its normal arcuate position. The band 26 is adapted to be positioned around the neck of the manipulator of the figure 10 with its microphone 22 mounted directly over the larynx thereof. The microphone 22 is thereby able to pick up sounds made in the larynx of the wearer without requiring the utterance of the sounds through the mouth. The microphone 22 is connected to the batteries of the box 21 by a pair of wires 27 and 28. These wires 27 and 28 are enclosed in a single casing 29, which may, if desired, be inserted through the sleeve of the clothing covering the arm of the manipulator that is to be used in manipulating the pole 17 of the figure 10. In this manner, the wire 29 can be hidden completely from the view of people in an audience, and no one will know that there is an electrical connection between the figure 10 and the manipulator since the microphone 22 may be similarly concealed under the collar of the shirt or dress worn by the manipulator.

The box 21 is, in turn, suitably connected electrically by the wires 31 and 32 enclosed within a single casing 33 to the loud speaker 23, which is mounted in the hollow interior of the head 16. The loud speaker 23 is provided with a suitable megaphone 34 so positioned and arranged that it directs any sounds being emitted by the speaker 23 to the mouth llof the figure 10.

In the operation of the figure 10, it will be assumed that the throat microphone 22 has been positioned over the larynx of the manipulator. When the figure 10 is ready to speak, the manipulator merely depresses push button 24 to its on position, which will energize the various circuits to the microphone 22 and speaker 23. The manipulator may now speak or make any other sound in his larynx, and such sound will be picked up by the microphone 22 and relayed to the speaker 23, which is mounted in the head 16 of the figure 10. When it is not desired to have the figure 10 speak, it is only necessary to remove the finger depressing the switch 24, and its normal spring urging means (not shown) will cause it to return to its 0 position, thereby de-energizing its circuits, whereupon any sounds made in the larynx of the manipulator will not then be transmitted to the mouth 11 of the figure 10.

Although I have shown only one form which the invention may assume, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claim.

. What I claim is:

In a hollow manipulatable figure of the class described, the combination of an amplifying unit mounted within the hollow interior of its body portion, said unit having a manually operable switch projecting outwardly therefrom which can be operated by a finger of the hand manipulatn s id fig re, said it hb n qapabl o 98ji1 Refe n e Cited i the file h Patent and de-energizing its circuits, a loud speaker mounted UNITED STATES ATENTS within the hollow head of said figure and oonneoted elec- 4 5 't l y hi a eamplify n ninand:amicmph 9m 3352 g g? $2 :32?

't l" d s 1 1 1160 e e ll w. .h sald ampwx m mm n ad pt 5 2,324,774 Henry July 20 1943.

to be wqrnby the manipulator, said ,mierophonehaving means --for ,holding the Same in a fixed -position .over 'the larynx :of the person mampulating-said figure. 

